WHO IS PULLING THE STRINGS? The US pet industry is worth 16 billion dollars. Without pit bulls to sell, to rescue, to rehabilitate, to care for and to feed, a lot of people would see their revenues plunge, denounced Jeffrey Borchardt, who lost his baby when he was torn from the arms of his babysitter by two pit bulls. Since this tragedy, the American DJ and other victims have worked to expose the gears of the powerful pit bull promotion lobby. Who pulls the strings? Portrait of a tightly woven network.

Level one: Financing source
ANIMAL FARM FOUNDATION
Run by an American millionaire, Animal Farm Foundation has for its motto: “Equality for pit bulls.” The pressure group devotes itself entirely to combatting against any regulation targeting its dogs. After inheriting a fortune from her father, Jane Berkey, who also owns a literary agency, turned over at least $6 million to her group, $2.85 million in 2013, according to government records. She pays 9 employees (one of whom, the director, makes more than $100,000 a year) and finances numerous groups that share her philosophy.

Level two: The researchers
NATIONAL CANINE RESEARCH COUNCIL (NCRC)
To produce studies, AFF bought a private research body in 2007. The acquisition was kept secret until the victims’ group Dogsbite discovered this during litigation. The National Canine Research Council (NCRC) was created by a veterinary technician, Karen Delise. Neither an academic researcher nor a veterinarian, she self proclaims as the “greatest national expert on deaths caused by dog bites.” An “action fund” permits the organization to engage in lobbying, according to a government registration. The NCRC is linked to several advisors and consultants. This is the case for Gary Patronek, the veterinarian who co-signs (NCRC) studies, and in the case of the Page ~ 16 former chief animal control officer of Calgary, Bill Bruce, who was still employed in that civil service job at the time he accepted his association with NCRC. The agency already had consultant Glen Bui on board, whose heavy criminal record can be found online (illegal weapon possession, obstruction of justice, domestic violence and harassment). Still, thanks to millions from Animal Farm, the NCRC finances like-minded researchers—notably on the issue of identification of pit bulls, information available on their website.

Level 3: Publication
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (JAVMA)
The American Veterinary Medical Association publishes NCRC studies in its journal. On its own website it proposes sample letters [for readers to write] contesting any law aimed at pit bulls. Moreover, its site has a link to AFF. The Association added the following introduction to a famous 2000 study: “In contrast to what has been reported in the news media, the data contained within this report CANNOT be used to infer any breed-specific risk for dog bite fatalities. [To reach that conclusion] it would be necessary to know the numbers of each breed currently residing in the United States. Such information is not available.” Even if they are opposed to a breed ban, for practical reasons amongst others, the authors of the study—seasoned in the ministry for Health and government institutions—nevertheless concluded: “In spite of potential bias and the lack of data on the canine population, pit bulls seem to be implicated in 42% of fatal tragedies. We do not believe that in the United States, the proportion of pit bulls amongst the dog population even comes near to approaching 42%. We therefore believe that the disproportion of deaths associated with pit bulls is real and escalating.”

Level 4: The political lobby
BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY
The studies of the AFF network allow [lobby] groups to put pressure on politicians. They propose regulations [they favor] and try to overturn those they dislike. Sometimes with success. The central facts about Best Friends Animal Society are that it manages $60 million and has for its motto: “Save them all,” for it is opposed to all euthanizing of animals. Its senior advocate, Ledy VanKavage sits on the board of AFF. The website of Best Friends Animal Society indicates that she paid an ex-economist from the tobacco Page ~ 17 industry, John Dunham, to create a fiscal calculation scheme designed to advise governments on the cost of breed banning. [Dunham’s] calculations were attacked in the Texas Tribune in 2011. The following year, before a referendum on pit bulls in Miami-Dade, a government committee discovered that the real costs incurred in targeting dogs was 65 times lower than those claimed by Dunham. “With all its money, the lobby [can afford to] finance lawyers and harass elected officials. And if it doesn’t get what it wants, it threatens to finance the campaign of their political opponents!” denounces Angela Provo, whose son Beau Rutledge was killed by a family pit bull.

Level 5: The distributors
THE ANIMAL CARE INDUSTRY
All the lobby studies are abundantly distributed by animal-based companies like shelters, breeders, trainers, etc. In Montreal, they are [distributed] by, amongst others, the SPCA, whose mission is to avoid euthanizing dogs and whose two most senior executives are themselves owners of pit bulls. On social media, pit bull owners deploy these studies relentlessly and accuse all their opponents of ignorance. Certain more aggressive ones have even threatened the mayor of Quebec City with death. Unfortunately, some militant activists have come to a tragic end, killed by their own fighting dogs—notably Darla Napora, at the time 8 months pregnant (California, 2011) and Rebecca Carey (Georgia, 2012)

I’ll tell you what is unfair: being attacked by a pit bull and spending months or years recuperating. The scars and lost limbs, the mental trauma, the loss of someone who succumbs to death after an attack …while the dog is quarantined for 12 days and returned to the owners who perhaps, may pay a $500 dollar fine. Unfair are pit-and-runs and repeat offenders. The many other animals mauled and killed, the fact that people feel unsafe walking outside. That my dear is "unfair".

They want thier dogs they should be held fully liable for every death and disfigurement… they should be charged with the deaths maulings and lifetime medical care of the victims … your pitt … the dog breed bred for fighting to the death in dog fights…. not a pet… kills someone the pitt owner should be charged with murder… because they KNOW the dog is deadly… innocent people and pets should not have to be mauled to death and disfigured, because the dog got out, they didn’t have a muzzle… all Pitts should have to wear muzzles by law in public… would save the lives of people and pets… if they actually cared about the breed and not show boating and virtue signaling there would be a breeding ban on this dog given they populate most every shelter across the nation 50+%… but it’s about human ego and irresponsibility, not about saving pitt bulls, this is about the look at me I have a pitt bull and now I’m cool and I’m dangerous ego bullshit… you can’t even consider this a protection dog because you have to shoot it to death to get it to stop attacking… too unpredictable for a protection dog… not a pet… it’s a danger to anyone who has to live near the dog… most people can’t physically handle the dog, don’t know what a break stick is, can’t even get the dog to heel on a leash…. I was walking the trails and here comes this guy being dragged down the trail the pitt 15 feet in front… NO CONTROL over its head… another dog or person comes around the corner and the pitt owner couldn’t stop the dog from mauling anyone … the cult of irresponsibility

OKLAHOMAUpdate: The District Attorney has requested a judge be disqualified in the trial of the owner of the pit bulls that fatally mauled Cecile Short in 2017 in Oklahoma City due to allegedly showing bias toward the defense attorney and because she had to pay veterinary costs when her dog attacked another.

"Coleman ruled against showing any photographs of the victim’s injuries at trial. She banned the jury from seeing any police body camera footage and a firefighter helmet video of the dogs circling the victim’s body."

because WAY too many of us have to pay vet bills because other folks need big mean pit bulls and other dangerous dogs to make them feel big and those dogs are dangerous. THIS WOMAN WAS KILLED!!! MURDERED by a dog that should NEVER be owned by irresponsible people and most others

OHIOUpdate: The 14 vote margin upholding the pit bull ban in Parma is generating a recount on May 29.

"By percentage, the margin of victory is just .12%, which means the race isn’t over quite yet. Under state law, all local elections with a margin of victory of .5% or less must undergo an automatic recount. Ohio Revised Code 3515.04 states such recounts will be conducted by hand at the board of elections in front of all who wish to observe. Cuyahoga County has set the recount for this coming Wednesday, May 29."

FLORIDAThey’re trying to come up with excuses as to why the pit bull killed Christine Liquori at the Humane Society shelter. Perhaps, one day, people will realize they should not shelter pit bulls due to their genetic impulses.

Kathy Norris, a former volunteer coordinator, said in 2016 she and another woman were walking two dogs — one of them a pit bull — when the animals began to fight; the pit bull grabbed the smaller dog by the neck.

"I’m screaming for help, calling three different numbers for administrators, nobody picked up the phone, nobody was there," said Norris. "No management on duty.

"And now we have a dead woman," she said, referring to Liquori, "and it’s similar to what happened with me. It’s the same situation, nothing has changed."

They are spinning this in to a fundraiser aren’t they. "If we had just had more money for better facilities (and higher executive salaries) she would still be alive." No, if they did not insist on warehousing violent dogs no one wants, if they weren’t believers in live release rate über alles, and if they weren’t pushing the myth that "pits are just like other dogs" she would still be alive.

The national humane societies share very little with local chapters. It would be interesting to see what the legal expenses are for their aggressive reaction to any BSL or euthanization. Of course Best Friends employees were dispatched to advise this shelter what thir solutions should be. Likely not naming breeds when trying to adopt. If everyone had 3 or 4 bully dogs the world would be perfect.

What is needed: euthanize pit and pit mix/pit-type dogs.

What might result: more room in shelters for normal/safer adoptable dogs, more food to go round, and fewer incidents both inside the shelters and in our neighborhoods.

This story breaks my heart. This woman was faced with so many challenges in her life and she was turning it all around. She did not deserve to die like this. God bless her and my prayers are with her family. So much tragedy.

Unless and until Genetics is realized, the death toll from Pits and their mixes will continue. Dogs are not people and you cannot change 200+ years of breeding out of an animal with training. It is the exact reason that people are not allowed to own Lions and Tigers…

No Kill is not a good option. Large part of why there is such overcrowding because of dogs which are not adoptable (putting the public at risk) and should be put down. Guess what kind of dogs!

There is probably a limit to the amount of money most people would want to spend on continuing to warehouse growing numbers of vicious dogs. Reasonable people will put the needs of their own families first. The solution should be obvious. Reduce the number of dogs being sheltered. No-kill is a failure, made even worse by pit bull advocates who encourage a pit bull population explosion that they think other people should pay for.

It wasn’t due to funds, it is the Nanny Dog myth realized. So long as pro pits continue to disregard science and No-kill shelters exist, and are backed by the Best friends initiatives (money making off of the weaker minded) there will be maulings/deaths.

The tsunami of pits is causing these problems nationwide. Spay/neuter had become pretty well established and the numbers of dogs at shelters was stable or dropping. This remains the case for non-bully type dogs. A look at the population at almost any randomly selected shelter would support this. Perhaps the financial problem for governments will finally prompt a rational focus on the preventable disaster that sadly deaths and maulings has not.

“The cult of irresponsibility “

Hopefully SOMEDAY they will realize that Pits do theses things because, ITS IN THEIR GENES AND SHOWING THEM LOVE WILL NEVER CHANGE THAT !

When information and education don’t deter people from exposing their families to dangerous dogs, maybe legal liability will help get the message across.

I live in the Raleigh area and I am pleasantly surprised by the comments section on the newspaper website! There are some sane people commenting that agree with those of us in this group. I’m so used to seeing the PB nutters out in full force on those types of stories. Glad to hear there are charges pending!

One thing you won’t hear from #pitbull advocates: ideas on how to keep people safe from Pits attacks.

Why are charges pending against the cousin? Did he/she breed it? Design it? Sell/adopt it? Promote/advocate for ownership of Pitbulls? Do those that do so not have an ounce of culpability?

C’mon now, if this owner of one Pitbull is guilty, how much more guilt do organizations that promote ownership and even go so far as to fabricate the history of individual pits and the breed/type as a whole? We all know they do have MUCH responsibility for all this mayhem.

People will say it’s because of the way pit bulls are raised and that might contribute to they’re dangerous streak. However, the breed is the breed and aggression is built into them naturally, in my opinion.